Steam-boiler.



No. 687,442. Patented-Nov. 26, l90l. C. M. SPENCER.

STEAM BUILEB.

(Application led Apr. 10. 1901.) (No Model.) l 2 sneets-sheet n.

h i A j l Q Patented Nov. `26, |90'I. C. M. SPENCER.

STEAM` Bomen. (Application filed Apr. 10, 1901.)

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Zeior (No'Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

CHRISTOPHER M. SPENCER, OF WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT.

STEAM-BOILER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,442, dated November26, 1901.

Application filed April 10, 1901.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER M. SPEN- CER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Windsor, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSteam-Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a boiler which is formed of a large number oftubes connected at their upper and lower ends in groups, so as to allowfree circulation from one to the other.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, light,strong, and cheap boiler ot' this nature which is particularly adaptedfor generating steam for the propulsion of automobiles and launches;

of the heads.

The embodiment of the invention that is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings has a shell surrounding a large number of closelyplaced tubes,which have heads that extend into and are held in place in the ends ofthe tubes by the nipples of tubulaicouplings, that connect the tubes ingroups and connect the groups with each other, as more particularlyhereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a front elevation of a boiler th'at embodies the inventionwith the shell out in section and some of the tubes broken away. Fig. 2is a plan of the boiler with the top of the shell removed. Fig. 3 is atransverse section of some of the tubes, showing the method ofconnecting them. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection of the upper ends of someof the connected tubes. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a few of thetubes, showing inner tubes in some of them. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionof the upper ends of some of the tubes, showing an inner tube in one;and Fig. 7 is a view ot' one of the couplings.

There maybe any desired number of tubes l. Each tube at each end has ahead 2 with a iiange 3, that forms a close fit with the inside of thetube. After these heads have been driven to place in the ends of thetubes threaded perforations are made through the walls of the tubes andthe reinforcing-flanges Threaded nipples 4 of the tubular couplings 5are then turned into the threaded perforations. The middle part of theperiphery of each coupling is preferably serai No. 55,153. m0 man.)

made angular for the application of a wrench, and the nipples of eachcoupling are threaded oppositely, so that when screwed into theperforations in the adjacent tubes and flanges of the heads in the tubesthe tubes are drawn closely together. The right and lef t threadedcouplings draw the tubes quite close together' and hold them very lirmand also hold the heads securely in place in the ends ot" the tubes. Theiianges of the heads orin long' joints with the ends of the tubes andrein force the tubes and provide sucient metal to give strength to theparts and enough threads so that the couplings may be screwed verytightly into the tubes and flanges.

The tubes are connected near their upper and lower ends by right andleft threaded couplings in rows, and the end tubes of each row areconnected together by right and left threaded couplings near their upperand lower ends in like, manner.

Asteain-drum 6 may be supported horizontally above the tubes andconnected with the upper ends of the tubes in any convenient manner. Inthe form shown the drum is connected by pipes 7 with the tubes of theoutside rows; but, if it is desired, the steamdrum instead of beingarranged horizontally above the tubes may be arranged vertically. Steammay be taken from the drum at any desired locality, as by a pipe 8, andwater may be admitted to the tubes at any suitable place.

An ordinary form of furnace may be used with this boiler. A gas-burner 9may be placed below the tubes within the shell of sheet metal 10.

By means of the construction shown and described the heads of the tubesare held in place very strongly without danger of leaking and withoutrequiring the heads and the tubesto be threaded and screwed together orthe ends of the tubes to be formed over the heads. The tubes arearranged very close together in a firm, strong, and durable manner. Thisconstruction enables an efficient boiler to be made that will stand highpressure and much abuse, which boiler is very compact, owing to thecloseness of the tubes, and very light, owing to the thinness of thetubes which may be employed, thus enabling it to be successfully usedupon avehicle for generat- ICO ing steam with which to operate theengine for driving the vehicle.

If desired, the upper and lower heads may be perforated, so as to holdthe ends of inner or flue tubes 1l. These inner tubes are /Open at bothends, which ends may be expanded into the perforations in the heads forholding the tubes in place.

I claim as my inventionl. Asteam-boiler consisting of a number of tubes,each tube having an end closed by a flanged head, and tubular couplingsconnecting the tubes, each coupling having a centralpart for theapplication of a Wrench and a right and a left threaded nipple, eachnipple extending through a wall of a tube into a ange of a head at theend of a tube, substantially as specified.

2. A steam-boiler consisting of a number of tubes, each tube having eachend closed by a head with an inwardly-extending flange, and tubularcouplings connecting the tubes near each end, each coupling having acentral part for the application of a Wrench and a right and a leftthreaded nipple, each nipple extending through a Wall of a tube into aange of a head at the end of a tube, substantially as specified.

3. A steam-boiler consisting of a numbeil of tubes, each tube havingeach end closed by a head With an inwardly-extending flange, tubularcouplings connecting the tubes near each end, each coupling having acentral part for the application of a Wrench and a right and a leftthreaded nipple, each nipple extending through a wall of a tube into afiange of a head at the end of a tube, and a steam-drum connected withthe tubes, substantially as specified.

4. A steam-boiler consisting of sets of inner and outer tubes, the outertubes having flanged heads that support the inner tubes, and tubularcouplings which have right and left threaded nipples that pass throughthe outer tubes and into the anges extending from the heads so as toconnect the outer tubes and hold the heads in the tubes, substantiallyas specified.

CHRISTOPHER M. SPENCER.

Witnesses:

H. R. WILLIAMS, V. R. HOLooMB.

